Study: About 1 in 8 Consumers Use Facebook for Local Search

According to the findings of a recent survey from Yext, Facebook is becoming a prominent player in local search. As Graph Search improves, local businesses and national brands with multiple locations need to be aware of the implications and take action.

Yext surveyed 1,001 U.S. adults in March and found that half of them said they used Google to find local business information online, while 16.6 percent said they used YellowPages.com/local directories.

Facebook was third on the list, with 12.4 percent of respondents indicating that they used the social network for their local search needs. Specialized/vertical sites (e.g., TripAdvisor) followed with a 6.0 percent response, while 36.4 percent of respondents said they used another website or answered “none of the above.”

While Facebook’s Graph Search isn’t a fully functioning, traditional Web search engine like Google, it does hold plenty of utility for local businesses looking to get found or engage with users via the social network. Greg Sterling, senior analyst for Opus Research, added commentary to Yext’s findings and notes that Graph Search wasn’t available to all of Facebook’s users when the survey was conducted. In fact, the company only recently announced that it would be rolling out Graph Search more broadly to its users in the coming weeks.

“Facebook could easily grow existing local search activity if Graph Search results are good and the content is improved,” Sterling writes.

Yext also asked respondents about the content or tools they want to see on Facebook in the future. Basic business information